Starting Saturday, most patients won't be able to cover their co-pays or other medical expenses with cash or checks at University of Iowa Health Care clinic services.

The health care enterprise is going "cashless" July 1.

"We are always looking at how to reduce expenses in ways that do not affect patient care quality and safety," Tom Moore, a spokesman for UIHC, said via email Tuesday. "Reducing an administrative cost like cash handling is one of the methods that help us reach that goal."

About 3 percent of the payments received by UIHC are in the form of cash or check, Moore said. Over the years, that figure has held relatively steady between 2 percent and 3 percent.

The move away from accepting cash is new among Iowa hospitals.

"First, I’ve heard of this anywhere," said Scott McIntyre, the vice president of communications for the Iowa Hospital Association.

Moore said similar policies in place at Stanford University and several other facilities on the West Coast. UI Children's Hospital has been operating on a cashless basis since its new building opened in February.

For patients who do not use credit cards or do not have a bank account, UIHC's Patient Financial Services will make case-by-case arrangements, Moore said. Patients who do not use a credit or debit card, but who do have a bank account, will receive a billing statement in the mail for the clinical service received.

The new policy will impact clinic locations in the main hospital, as well as:

UI Health Care–Iowa River Landing.

Outreach clinics.

UICMS clinics.

UI clinics in other communities.

The following areas of the hospital will continue to accept cash or checks: